Wearable, mobile, and/or portable computer devices are used for a wide variety of tasks. Such devices allow the workers using them (“users”) to maintain mobility, while providing the worker with desirable computing and data-processing functions. Furthermore, such devices often provide a communication link to a larger, more centralized management computer and/or computer system that directs the activities of the user and processes any collected data. One example of a specific use for a wearable/mobile/portable device is a product management system that involves product distribution and tracking as well as product inventory management, where these communication systems may sometimes be referred to as mobile warehouse management systems. In conventional systems, the mobile devices typically include an interface with a headset having a microphone and speakers such that users of the devices may receive spoken instructions related to tasks to be completed, and may answer with speech. Such systems are referred to as speech-directed work systems.
In conventional systems, mobile devices used by workers may be loaded with a specific profile associated with the device, the user, and the tasks the worker will be performing, where the loaded profile may change several times per day. In some conventional systems, device profiles may correspond to a specific worker and may include worker speech preferences, such as speed of verbal instructions (i.e. rate of playback), language of verbal instructions, and other configuration settings related to the mobile devices such as functions of buttons, etc. In conventional systems, workers may input data using speech into the mobile device related to the tasks being performed, thus in some mobile device systems, data related to a worker's speech patterns may be stored in a device profile such that the worker's unique speech characteristics may be accounted for when converting the worker's speech input into input data. Different profiles associated with different tasks, job functions, and/or employees may be stored in the management computer, such that the profiles may be loaded onto worker devices by supervisors as different profiles are needed on a mobile device. For example, when a worker finishes a shift, the worker may deposit a mobile device loaded with a profile associated with the tasks the worker performed in a centralized location, and a second worker beginning a shift may retrieve the mobile device and have a profile loaded onto the device associated with the tasks the new worker will be performing, where the profiles are likely to be different. In another example, a worker may complete a set of tasks associated with a first profile, and the worker may need a second profile loaded to complete a second set of different tasks.
In conventional systems utilizing mobile devices, a supervisor may load specific devices with a desired profile utilizing the management computer. In addition, some elements of a profile may be loaded by a worker using the mobile device, including for example, the worker's speech patterns. However, each time a device is loaded with a different profile or a profile is changed, the supervisor must return to the management computer and select the appropriate profile to load on the appropriate mobile device. As one can imagine, this leads to decreased efficiency of the supervisor and the employee using the mobile device, as the manager must end supervising workers and go to the management computer to load the correct profile. In addition, the employee using the mobile device must wait for the supervisor to travel to the management computer and load the appropriate profile. Moreover, in many workplace environments utilizing these mobile device systems, workers may not be permitted to perform any work without supervision for safety reasons.
Accordingly, there is a need, unmet by current communication systems and mobile devices, to address the issues noted above. There is particularly an unmet need in the area of increasing efficiency in managing mobile devices.